Ditzy, Dorky, and Downright Delusional
by KShires09
Summary: Rated T for violence and language. Valerie is a freshman in College, and Kate & Dee are both seniors in High School when they all decide to test their ‘theory’ on how to get into the Naruto anime. It is a gore, action, comedy, romance
1. 1: Theory

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Just so you know, if you had started to read my other story, I am really sorry for discontinuing it. The problem was that I didn't have the time OR the motivation. I am seriously hoping that THAT will not happen with this story._

_INTRODUCTION: Valerie is a freshman in College, and Kate and Dee are both seniors in High School when they all decide to test their 'theory' on how to get into the Naruto anime. But it isn't a smooth ride for one 'lucky' person, who has to endure a lot, just to get back to her friends._

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter One:

Valerie stared down at her chemistry book, sighing loudly. She stared at the wall, glad that her roommate was out with her "new boyfriend." She looked back at her textbook. '_I have to study!! It took a lot of work to get IN to this frickin' place._'

Indeed it _had_ taken a lot of work. It was because she had slacked of as a junior, causing her to work extra hard on her ACT and SAT scores, and to work on getting a good résumé. Although, it had all paid off when she got the acceptance letter to Miami University, in Oxford Ohio.

"I can't DO this!!" she yelled to no one in particular. She picked up her phone, pressing the 5 button, deciding that she disserved a break from studying to call someone.

- - - - -

Kate looked up when she heard a loud '_bzzt_' coming from the direction of her desk.

"Pause the game," she said to Dee, who was currently beating up her lifeless form in the video game.

Dee smirked slightly evilly, and paused the game, but with no intention off keeping it as such. Kate sighed, knowing what her friend was thinking, and meandered over to her phone.

"Dee!! It's Valerie!"

"What?!" her friend responded, "We haven't heard from her since the end of first semester."

"I _know_!" Kate replied, gawking at her phone is disbelief.

"Are you going to answer it? Or have a staring contest with it?" Dee asked, her head resting on her arms, which were resting on the back of the sofa.

"Whoops!" Kate said, laughing, before answering, "Hello Valerie."

"VALERIE!" Dee shouted from across the room. Kate could hear her laughing on the other end, before Valerie found herself on speaker-phone.

- - - - -

Valerie laughed, she didn't know that Dee would be where ever Kate was too.

"Hey guys!" she said into the phone, to which she heard Kate reply a simple 'Hi.'

"I know I haven't talked to you for a while, but..." Valerie started, "Well... basically I am procrastinating."

All three girls laughed, "Instead of studying for our senior exams, because let's face it, who cares?..." Kate started.

"We're playing the Naruto video-game," Dee finished, shouting across the room, "I am completely pwn-ing her!"

"Only 'cause she is freaking _CHEATING_!" Kate responded, as Valerie heard laughing and the sounds of a video-game in the background.

- - - - -

"Okay, so I don't think that I have told you yet," Kate said into the phone a short while later. "I have come up with a hypothetical theory about the Naruto game, or, rather, how we could be able to enter INTO the game..." Kate trailed off, thinking.

"WHAT?!" Valerie shouted, causing Dee to look up, wondering what had just happened.

"It sounds like it just might work," Dee answered, somewhat lamely as she walked over to Kate.

"How does it work?" asked Valerie, her voice still filled with amazement.

"I can't guarantee that it would, it's only a hypothetical theory..." Kate trailed off again.

"Just tell her," Dee butt in.

"Fine..." Kate responded, "Well, it has to do with our cell phones..."

- - - - -

Quite a while later, Valerie stared at her phone dumbfounded, '_Kate's plan is so insane, it just might work_'

"Okay," she said, "let's try it!"

"Hmm," Kate mumbled as a response.

"According to the theory," Dee's voice crackled over the phone, "We need to be on a three-way call with each other. So... basically once we all understand the procedure, we need to hang up and re-dial each other so that we are able to achieve this."

As Kate and Dee tag-teamed while explaining the method, Valerie scowled, obviously confused. Finally, she sighed, "You guys DO realize that I have NO idea what you are talking about... right?" she asked exasperatedly.

She heard the two on the other line laugh.

"This is all you need to know," Dee said.

"After Dee explains this again, hang up and we will lead you from there."

Dee laughed into the phone, "Valerie, hang up, we will call you, and when we connect it will be a three-way call. According to Kate's theory, while we are doing this, you must figure out how to dial into the show, most likely it will work best if you dial the episode number that you wish to visit..."

Valerie stopped listening again.

- - - - -

"Does that sound good?" Kate asked Valerie, after Dee's _second_ explanation.

"Huh?... oh... yeah!" Valerie replied.

Kate and Dee looked at each other, both thinking the same thing '_She has no effing clue what's going on._'

"Okay, talk to you in a second!" Kate said, and hung up, not giving Valerie a chance to ask for another explanation. Dee turned to Kate, "I feel like something bad is going to happen."

Kate smirked, "I don't."

- - - - -

Valerie's phone rang, and she picked up, hearing both Kate and Dee's voices on the other end, at the same time.

"Okay, I am about to wire the first part of the process," said Kate clearly.

"I've got the second," Dee replied.

"Where do _I_ come in?" Valerie asked.

"Uh..." Dee started awkwardly.

"Valerie, I think that we can handle this part, okay?" Kate said, obviously trying her best not to offend her friend. Valerie sighed; she knew that it would come down to something like this.

- - - - -

After quite a while, Kate sat up and smiled at Dee, "Ready?" she said.

"Ready," Dee replied, also smiling.

"What's going on?" crackled Valerie's voice over both of their phones.

"We're about to lock in," said Dee, "Make sure you are holding on to your phone tightly, in just a second we will need you to dial the number 1-4-7. This should take us somewhere close to the end of the Sasuke Retrieval."

"Okay," said Kate before she paused, "It will start... NOW!" Dee activated the system, all the lights in Kate's basement became steadily brighter and brighter until suddenly, the two of them were plunged into complete darkness.

"DIAL!" Dee yelled, hoping Valerie was still connected. In complete unison Kate and Dee dialed, 1...4...7.

The lights came back on in an instant, but slightly dimmer than before. Looking at their phones, they noticed that the screen had seemed to become a swirling purple vortex. Looking at each other they nodded, hitting the 'call' button.

Instantly, they were each sucked into their own cell phone's vortex.

- - - - -

Valerie was staring at her phone in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The last thing she heard was the word 'now,' which she suspected was said by Dee, but she couldn't really tell for sure.

Then, her desk lamp bulb brightened, before blowing out. Her phone connection had become fuzzy, and random snatches of the conversation on the other side kept reaching her. All she seemed to hear was 'duh' and then a little static; then she heard what sounded like 'la' but she couldn't tell for sure.

'_I guess it is about time that I dialed that number_' she thought to herself, '_now WHAT was it again?_'

After a short while she remembered, 1...4...7 she dialed.

Immediately she began to feel uncomfortable, her phone's screen had gone completely black, and she felt as if she was being pulled.

She held onto the carpet to try to stay in place, but eventually she could not hold on any longer, and she was sucked, unwillingly, into her own cell phone.

Everything went black.

"What the HELL?!" Valerie yelled to nothing, as she fell.


	2. 2: Rough Landing

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) This is a different note than last time, so you might want to read. I don't know if you have read any of my friends' stories, but they have some on here too. Valerie's user name is runya14, and Dee's is diego12191. You should definitely check out their stuff._

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Two:

The mid-day sun shone bright as Kate shaded her eyes to avoid it. Smiling, she looked up at the arch, signifying the entrance to Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. After glancing around cautiously, she noted two things.

'_For one_,' she thought, '_I don't see Dee or Valerie anywhere._' Frowning, she looked around again, '_**AND**__it doesn't seem to me that there is anybody __**else**__ around here either._'

Shrugging she strolled toward the gate, hearing a somewhat metallic 'thump' shortly after. Looking down at her feet, she saw her cell phone, the screen still showed the swirling vortex, but it seemed to be a slightly different color, '_more bluish_' she thought.

She picked it up and continued through the gate.

- - - - -

"For the _sixth _time!" she told the person manning the door, "I _just_ want to talk to talk to _Tsunade_, the fifth Hokage because I wish to _stay_ here for a while," she said, emphasizing every few words.

"And for the 'sixth time'" the guard retorted, "She is not excepting any 'visitors' at this time."

"This is just ridiculous," Kate said, finally pushing the guard out of the way, I will just go there myself.

"You ca-" he was cut off as Kate turned around, fire in her eyes.

"You _**bet **_I _**can**_!**" **she replied with such force that the man was stunned, and in the end, was unable to control her as she stormed off in the direction of Tsunade's office.

- - - - -

Dee sat on the floor, staring at her _own_ cell phone. The screen of it still somewhat resembled how it did in Kate's basement, back in the _real_ world, but for some reason it now was an emerald color.

Not only that, but she seemed to be hearing snatches of conversation, which involved the words 'ridiculous,' 'Hokage,' 'Tsunade,' and overall a very colorful vocabulary, which she recognized instantly as Kate's.

Noticing the somewhat stunned look on Dee's face, Temari kneeled down, placing her fan next to her, "Is something the matter?" she asked, looking concerned.

"Uh," Dee started to reply, "I...I am actually not sure," she said before grinning widely and letting out a slight chuckle.

Temari smirked, '_She's a little odd_,' she thought, before turning to face her brother, Kankuro, who had just made his way into the room.

"So, you must be the girl that Gaara mentioned. I am assuming that you will be staying here for a while right?" He asked, casually. Dee smiled and nodded, '_I kinda want to ask how they are, after fighting with the Sound ninja, but I don't want to freak them out... Gaara looked pretty beaten up, I hope he's okay_,' she thought.

Temari and Kankuro stared at her. "Why's she got that funny look on her face?" Kankuro asked his sister. Temari shrugged and then proceeded to wave her hand in front of Dee's face, eventually capturing her attention.

Dee blinked a couple times and looked over at the two who were now staring at her as if she were from a completely different planet.

'_Well if you think about it_,' Dee thought, '_I __am__ from a different planet_.'

- - - - -

Tsunade looked up at the sound of a slight knock at her door, which turned out was just in time to see a tall, brown-haired figure storm through the door.

Her sigh was immediately met with a dead-on glare from the figure, whose eyes seemed to resemble something like red lightning.

"You are interrupting my study sessionI _thought_ I told the guard to turn away all visitors," Tsunade said to the figure.

"I am quite aware of what you 'guard' said, thank you very much," said the figure, turning so that she could see her face.

Still glaring, Kate faced Tsunade as she spat, "It seems as if your so called 'guard' is relatively insufficient."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed, although she liked the spunk of this girl, her attitude was really getting to her.

"What is your name?" she almost growled.

The figure strode toward her desk, and sat on the corner before answering, "I am going to tell you everything, so just listen while I do it, 'kay?" Tsunade growled, but nodded.

- - - - -

"Can you hear it?" Dee asked the siblings.

"Un," Kankuro mumbled, as Temari simply nodded. All three of them were surrounding Dee's phone, listening intently.

_"I am quite aware of what your 'guard' said..."_

"Yeah, that is definitely my friend Kate," Dee said nodding, "She had been working on a theory on how to come here using our cell phones."

Temari and Kankuro looked confused.

"Let's just say, where we come from, there are a lot more... uh... 'technical advances.'" Dee said, trying to explain to them without confusing them further.

The siblings were still visibly confused, so Dee gave up any inclination to explain the theory to them.

"Never mind," she said smiling, "how we got here isn't really all that important anyway."

- - - - -

The Hokage's hazel eyes looked upon Kate's teal ones with incredulity, "So you are trying to tell me that you were sucked into this... this... _thing_, which brought you to Konoha."

Kate nodded, not understanding _why_ nobody seemed to comprehend her clearly explained method, "I would really appreciate having a place to stay, if you don't mind."

Tsunade's evil grin floated elegantly across her face, now she knew _just_ how to get back at this girl for intruding on her studies.

"I will help to provide you with a home," Tsunade began, "but on **one** condition."

Kate rolled her eyes, "and what exactly _is_ that condition?"

"Well, it would be unfair to others if I offered a service to someone who doesn't have the money to pay Konoha **for** those services. So, the condition is that you must find some sort of a job, here in Konoha, for which you will pay me a boarding fee." Kate opened her mouth to protest to this, but quickly decided against it, '_this woman really __**is**__an evil genius_,' she thought.

- - - - -

Kate strolled out of the office, sticking her tongue out at the guard as she passed.

'_How __ever__ am I going to find a job here that I would actually be able to __**do**_?'

Suddenly, from the direction of her pocket, she heard a familiar voice.

_"Kate?? KAAAAAAte??"_ the voice said. Kate laughed, and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"Dee, is that you?" she asked, still chuckling to herself.

_"Of course. I heard your entire conversation with Tsunade."_ Dee said, laughing herself.

"Okay, so you know where _I_ am, but where are _you_?" Kate asked her friend.

_"In the living room of the sand siblings' home, they are letting me use one of the spare rooms."_

Kate was visibly outraged, "I can't believe it, _you_ get to stay with the sand siblings, free of charge, and _I_ am currently in debt to the Hokage."

- - - - -

"Don't worry," Dee said into the phone, "I feel your pain... by the way, have you managed to get into contact with Valerie?"

_"No, but I haven't tried," _Kate responded, _"you?"_

"No luck for me either, I'm afraid," Dee answered, "I hope she's okay..."

_"Hmm, me too... but I have to go because I think that I might have found myself a good job..."_

Dee placed her phone back in her pocket, before getting up to see where Temari and Kankuro had disappeared too. Although she had not noticed at the time, they seemed to have wandered off during Kate's explanation.

Dee smiled to herself; it appeared to her that it was quite likely that _nobody_ other than herself, and possibly Tsunade, would ever understand Kate's theories.

- - - - -

Kate herself had just stumbled upon the Inuzuka household.

'_Perfect_,' she thought, before wandering inside, '_I will just stop in here before finding Hyuuga mansion._'

- - - - -

The forest was dark, damp, and overall not a very pleasant place to be stuck. It was because of this, inevitably, that Valerie found herself in just such a place.

Her dark brown hair was splayed out behind her, as if it were a rather ineffective cushion, and her legs and arms hurt. Looking at them, Valerie could tell that they were bruised. It seemed as if she would lay here forever, when she heard footsteps behind her.

Her dark brown-green eyes flashed open within an instant.

Standing above her, looking down, with hair in a ponytail and glasses perched all the way at the end of the nose, was a dark form.

"This is hardly the place to be laying around, now _is_ it?" she heard it say, before she felt some sort of blunt object make contact with the top of her head.


	3. 3: Bars

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n)Hello again fellow readers!! I just want you to know, although I __**have**__ been updating this on an extremely regular basis, eventually the time will come where we will all have to say goodbye to this luxury. This is mainly because I have still not started my summer reading / work. And, I also have __**band camp**__ coming up in the near future. So, for now, it will be regular, that is, until my mother murders me. _

_**By the way, Valerie...**_I am truly sorry that all the bad shit has to happen to you, I promise that it will end well!!

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Three:

Bars.

Metal Bars.

Cold, wet, metal bars, as far as the eye could see.

It was these bars that Valerie finally woke to. Groggily she opened her eyes, slowly taking in the 'view.' She sighed loudly and visibly as she took in her surroundings. Attempting to sit up, she cried out in pain, before falling backwards again.

'_Shit_,' she thought, '_what have I gotten myself into __now_' A shiver ran down as her spine as she remembered, "Kabuto!" she yelled in realization.

"I wouldn't be calling for **him** if I were you," a deep, gravely voice said from somewhere behind her. Valerie attempted to adjust herself to see the person who had just spoken before he spoke again, "Don't move. It isn't good for someone in _your_ state."

"What the hell is going on? And who the hell are you?" Valerie asked, pissed off.

She heard footsteps, and the next thing she knew, a tall man was standing in front of her, his eyes a beautiful shade of ice blue, and his strawberry hair falling to his waste. Valerie flinched as he reached down, expecting to feel pain, but instead she felt his rough hand at the nape of her neck, helping her into a sitting position.

"Me? Well the full name's Tenshoku Korado, but I tend to just go by Koori," his eyes danced as he talked, distracting Valerie.

"As far as 'what the hell is going on,'" he continued, "I honestly have no idea." He smiled, "All I know is that we are both trapped here, and it would be wise for us to **not** yell at, or **for**,our captors."

"Coo-ry," Valerie pronounced, trying to get the pronunciation correct in her head.

"Yes?" Koori asked, staring at her, his eyes catching her attention once again.

Valerie smiled, he was very pretty. "How old are you?" she asked, relatively bluntly.

His eyes danced, "nineteen, why?"

Valerie's brown-green eyes, so dull compared to his, shifted around, taking him in, as well as the cell, once again before she answered, "I think that we should be friends."

They both beamed, "That sounds good."

- - - - -

His black hair fell into his cat-like eyes as he stared at his subordinate.

"What _is_ this?" he hissed, menacingly. Kabuto shuddered, although he had always admired Orochimaru, having to be _this_ close to him was often too much for his weak mind to handle.

"I don't know," he began, shivering at the expression on Orochimaru's face, "I found it by the girl, it looked interesting, so I took it from her after she was unconscious."

Orochimaru twirled the green, solid, material in his fingers. With a sudden flick of the wrist, the top had moved upwards, revealing a vast array of buttons, which had been concealed. The screen flashed, looking closer, Kabuto noticed jagged grey and black lines moving across it. The object suddenly beeped, and sound cut in and out, making a 'whoosh' sound.

The cat eyes widened, "iiinteresting."

- - - - -

Koori looked at his new companion from across the room. '_She is extremely attractive_,' he thought, '_but I know almost nothing about her._'

Valerie looked at him, smirking a little, "What are you looking at Boy?" she asked playfully. Koori blinked a couple times and looked away, not answering.

"My name is Valerie," she said without being asked, "I am eighteen, I really like music, I have two best friends, and I really like chemistry." Koori nodded slightly, still not answering, causing an awkward silence.

A thought occurred to Valerie, suddenly, and violently.

"Koori!" she shouted, louder than she intended. He turned to look at her.

"My friends!"

"What about them?" he asked casually, and much colder than he was just a short while ago.

"We all came here together; did Kabuto bring anyone else with him when he brought me?"

"No," he said, Valerie breathed a sigh of relief, "you are the newest person here, before you, the only person to come here came on his own."

'_Sasuke!_' Valerie thought, but didn't say anything. Koori was looking away from her again, not saying anything.

"Why are you being so cold?" Valerie asked, indignant, "You were so nice just a while ago!" Koori stood up and slowly walked back over to her, before leaning against the wall and sliding down.

"Valuri," he whispered, mispronouncing her name, "Don't worry, I am really your friend. But in a place like this, it is best if they _don't_ know that, it will only make the **torture** worse."

Her eyes widened, as she nodded. Koori stood up and made his way back to the other side of the room, his hair swishing casually as his body swayed naturally.

'_This is definitely going to be interesting_,' she thought.

- - - - -

Kate sat up, her back aching from all the chores she had been doing.

"Hana-sama?" she called, "What do you want me to do next?"

Faintly she heard Hana's voice floating towards her, "I would appreciate it if you would take the Haimaru Sankyodai out for some exercize. I have been treating a lot of patients recently, so they haven't been out as much as they should."

Kate sighed and beckoned for the ash colored canines, before attempting to get them out of the door.

"Do you want some help with that?" she heard a friendly voice behind her.

"That would be wonderful," she replied without turning around. The next thing she knew, the entire pack was outside, and all heading in the same general direction. "Thanks," she said, turning around.

Inuzuka Kiba smiled, "It's no problem."

"Kiba!" Kate yelled in surprise, "I-I'm sorry to have bothered you. I-I won't do it again."

Kiba was still smiling, "Don't worry about it, like I said, it was no problem."

Kate nodded, before realizing that the pack had moved quite a ways ahead of her, and dashing off. Kiba watched her go, the smile slowly fading from his face.

'_She must really need the money_,' he thought, '_I wouldn't wish that job on __**anyone**_.'

- - - - -

Dee, on the other hand, was relaxing comfortably on the cool floor in the spare bedroom. She had been there for a while, looking at her phone every so often, and trying to get into contact with Valerie.

Her stomach grumbled noisily, but getting up to eat something, she thought, would be '_too much effort_.' She ignored her stomach, and eventually fell asleep, right where she lay.

- - - - -

Valerie awoke the next morning to the sounds of shouting, arguing.

"W-what's going on?" She asked Koori, tentatively.

"The new kid and Kabuto are having another squabble," he said, not looking up; his hair fell into his face, effectively concealing his expression.

"Ah, what about?" she probed, trying not to be a nuisance.

Slowly, Koori raised his head, hair delicately cascading down his back, icy eyes catching her attention and increasing the tension drastically before he simply stated, "You."

'_What?!_' Valerie thought, '_none of this is making any sense_.'


	4. 4: Useless Girl

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Just so you know, I have a MySpace[__ You should check it out. If you want to add me as a friend, message me to tell me who you are, otherwise you will just be marked as spam. _SMILE!

**Rated T:**_For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Four:

Kate approached the Hyuuga mansion, silent, minus the occasional sound of her foot kicking up dirt. Kiba followed behind her, on her right side, making sure that she was alright, even though she had profusely assured him that she was.

It was about seven o'clock in the morning, which was not a favorite time for Kate as it turned out.

"You don't have to worry about me, you know?" she said, a slight twinge of annoyance in her words. Looking back at Kiba, she saw him shrug before continuing to follow. He had found her that morning, asleep against the side of the house, drenched to the bone from the rain that had fallen that night.

Kate shook her long wet hair out of her eyes, still looking at him, "I _wanted_ to sleep there!" she stated, for what was inevitably the fourth time. Kiba shrugged again, and shook his head.

"Gah," Kate yelled, looking up at the sky, still grey.

Before she knew it, they were knocking on the large entry-way door of the estate.

The door creaked as it opened slowly, showing a lilac, pupil-less eye, obscured by long black hair.

"Hello," Kate said, softly and kindly, "Is your, um, is..." Kate trailed off, weakly.

"Do you know where Neji is, Hinabi?" Kiba asked, a little to forcefully.

The eye blinked, and the next thing she knew, the large door swung open, revealing a boy with long brown hair, and the same lilac eyes and the young girl cowering behind him.

"Kate?" he asked.

"Un," she replied, nodding.

"You're late," he spat, not even acknowledging Kiba's existence.

"Sorry" she began lamely, putting her head down, causing her bangs to stick to her face, and penetrate her teal eyes, causing them to water. Neji grabbed her by the elbow, beckoning her in and closing the door behind her.

"Hinabi," Neji looked down at his younger cousin, "go fetch some clean clothes for Kate." The girl nodded before dashing off.

"It wasn't smart to stay outside all night," he continued, his blank eyes seeming too lifeless to be true.

Kate nodded, as they both made their way inside.

'_This guy is a __**complete**__ nutcase_,' she thought to herself.

- - - - -

Dee awoke to find herself in the plush bed that she had fallen asleep next to. She sighed, wanting to get up, but not wanting to expel the effort to do so.

This sort of thing was an on-going battle for her, what she _wanted_ to do, verse what she _needed_ to do, verse what she _should_ do.

A slight smile spread across her face, as she imagined Kate's reaction to her "problem."

Eventually working up the effort to sit up, she looked across the room, to where she spotted a chair that she did not remember being there. The cushion on the seat of it seemed to be deflated in the middle, as if it had been sat on until recently.

Getting up, she walked across the room and opened the door, slowly making her way down the hallway, and then down the twisting stairs that lead to the kitchen.

"Oh, hello!" a surprised voice greeted her.

Rubbing her eyes, and then allowing the figure to come into focus, she realized that it was Temari. "Hey," she mumbled, not fully awake.

"Do you want some breakfast? It is my turn to make it, and I can't decide."

Dee smiled a little and hesitated answering, causing Temari to think she was even _more_ insane than she did already. "Sure, do you have eggs or something?"

Temari nodded, "no problem," she said, still looking at Dee. "By the way," she continued, Dee stared at her with her dark-chocolate eyes, waiting for her to continue, "Would you like to borrow a change of clothes."

"That would be great," Dee said, eyes twinkling.

- - - - -

Kate looked down at her new outfit. It was mostly made of mesh, with a form-fitting gray tank-top over the top, and baggy, knee-length black trousers, with her usual maroon converse to complete the look.

It didn't matter _how_ long Neji and Hinabi had tried to convince her to wear the usual ninja-style sandals, Kate just wasn't buying it.

"This is good," she said to the two of them before pausing, "Seriously."

Neji shook his head and walked away.

"I'll show you to where you will be staying," Hinabi said, so quietly, it was barely a whisper.

Kate looked down at her, "You are going to _have_ to talk louder than _that._" she said.

Hinabi squeaked, and began moving a little faster towards their destination.

- - - - -

Dee's outfit, on the other hand, consisted of a thigh-length black dress, with long slits up either side, and red stitching. The top came all the way up to where her neck became her jaw, and folded over in a loose fashion, while the sleeves were made of a thick mesh. Underneath the dress where skin-tight red shorts, to match the stitching; Temari's extra pair of black sandals _more_ than completed the look.

She stared at herself in Temari's full length mirror for quite a while, not exactly sure what to think.

"You look _great_," Temari said, with an air of pride, "Now we just need to do something about this **hair**!!"

Dee sighed, her shoulder-length bushy locks were typically '_too much effort_' to do anything about, and so, she didn't. Temari, for some reason unknown to Dee, didn't seem to understand her lazy lifestyle, and proceeded to brush her hair, before attempting to style it.

About half an hour later, there were two French braids running down either side of her head.

"Not bad," she said to Temari.

They both grinned.

- - - - -

The sound of shouts was getting either louder, or closer, Valerie couldn't tell.

Eventually both she and Koori heard a loud thump, a groan, and the sound of footsteps approaching them.

"That took care of _him_," they heard Kabuto mutter as he drew nearer.

"What's going on?!" Valerie yelled to him.

"Ah, just the girl I was coming to see," he said, ignoring her question.

"Why would you come to see _me_?" Valerie spat, disgusted by his greasy tone.

Kabuto laughed, and jingled the keys in his pocket before opening the tiny door in the corner, and beckoning for her to come nearer. Valerie glared at him. She didn't want to leave her cell, which appeared almost inviting at this point.

Kabuto's eyes flashed, a glare on his glasses and he motioned for her more forcefully. Finally getting up, Valerie slowly and cautiously walked to the door. Attempting to step out gracefully, she suddenly felt her foot make contact with another, and she fell, flat on her face.

The man's chuckle filled the cell, "Get up useless girl!" he said, while kicking her repeatedly in the side. Valerie winced at every blow, finally getting up during a brief pause.

The next thing she felt was an iron grip on her wrist as she was lead away from the cell, looking back, she saw another subordinate locking the cell door behind them. The grip moved, unexpectedly to the back of her neck, forcing her to look ahead.

- - - - -

After turning the corner, she saw Sasuke, collapsed against the wall. His hair was sweaty, sticking to his face and mixing with the blood that was running freely from somewhere near his temple. There was also a bloody streak running down the wall, obviously indicating that his head had been slammed against it.

Valerie cringed, '_Damn! I hope nothing like that happens to me!_'

The second the thought had popped into her head, she felt the clutch on her neck tighten drastically, right before she blacked out.


	5. 5: Torture

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) So, I decided to update twice in one day, because I was on a roll. I would really appreciate it if you would review so that I can improve my writing. By the way, I know this chapter is shorter than the others, but I thought that this was a good place to stop, no?_

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Five:

Valerie awoke to find two distinct cat eyes directly in her face. They were made all the more intimidating and powerful by their frame of purple, on the man's paper-white face. Black strands of hair tickled her cheeks, and she felt a flush steadily make its way up her face at the sheer awkwardness of the situation.

"It appearsss that she is awake," Orochimaru hissed at Kabuto, "maybe you should be _lessss_ forceful when sssedating her next time. I do not wish to wassste my time waiting for my prisssoner to wake before I can question her."

"Y-yes, Master," Kabuto stuttered.

"What do you want?" Valerie demanded, "Let me go!!" She felt another sudden pain to the side of her head, and turned in time to see Kabuto withdrawing his fist.

"That is _quite_ enough, Kabuto," Orochimaru stated, dangerously, "You may leave... _**NOW**_!" Kabuto bowed, and exited without saying a word.

"The quessstioning will be quick," the cat-eyed man said, "and _pain_lesss, **IF** you cooperate."

Valerie gulped, but nodded, she understood exactly what was going on.

Orochimaru backed away from her, slowly, never letting his eyes leave her. Sweat was running down her neck and was being soaked up by her ripped T-shirt. Her eyes watered as well, she wanted to blink, to look away, but she suddenly found herself unable to.

"What?" Orochimaru barked suddenly, "is THIS?" In one swift movement, he brought his hand from behind his back, producing the green, metallic object that had recently come into his possession.

"T-t-that's my..." Valerie began, sweat running down her brow, "cell...phone."

- - - - -

Valerie sat in that chair, hands tied behind her back, for what seemed like days, explaining again and again to Orochimaru what the green object was. Orochimaru refused to understand, and with each failed attempt, issued another blow to the back of her head.

She felt nauseous. The combination of the lack of food, dehydration, and the general mistreatment of her body was quickly getting to her.

Without warning, she wretched violently, before vomiting on her shirt, but all her empty stomach could produce was thick, yellow bile.

Orochimaru wrinkled his nose in disgust before summoning Kabuto to take her back to her cell. Kabuto untied her wrists, and grabbed her neck again, but the squeezing was unnecessary, for she had already passed out.

- - - - -

Koori could hear footsteps approaching the cell, as well as the sound of something being dragged along the floor. It had been over five hours since Valerie had been removed from the cell. Opening his eyes, and shaking his head to get his shaggy bangs out of his face, he saw Kabuto, unlocking the cell yet again, before tossing a lifeless Valerie inside, as if she were a rag doll.

"What the hell happened to her?" he yelled at the man.

Kabuto turned around, his eyes obscured by the glare on his glasses, yet again, "Why does it matter to _you_, Boy?" he spat, before slamming the cell door, and locking it.

Koori glared, but waited for the sound of footsteps to disappear before acting.

He crawled over to the lifeless form, smelling her before she came into clear focus. She was a mess; congealed blood clung in her hair and stuck to her forehead, and dried tear trails lead all the way down her face, while her shirt was soaked with sweat and vomit.

The eyelids shut on his icy eyes, refusing to take in the mess that was before him.

- - - - -

It took a while for him to decide exactly what it was that he should do.

Tearing of the girl's shirt, he threw it out of the cell, as far away as he could, unwilling to have to smell it any longer. He then removed his own shirt, to dress her. It was highly improper for her to go without a shirt.

He picked her up, and set her in his corner, propping her up against the wall, before slowly making his way over to the barred end of the cell, and sitting down with a loud sigh.

- - - - -

Valerie awoke, an hour later, wretching again.

"I wouldn't puke in _here_ if I were you," said a familiar gravely voice, "It's not like they clean these things out."

Her eyes were out of focus as she looked around, trying to find the source of the speech, "Koori?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes, it's me," he answered, kindly. She smiled and looked down at herself. Something was different about her appearance, but she couldn't tell what it was. Looking over at Koori, she noticed his bare chest, revealing his defined chest muscles.

Looking at herself again, she realized her shirt was too big, and far too long, and the wrong color, for that matter.

"Your... shirt?" she asked him.

"Yes that is mine, yours was a complete mess," he said, slowly to ensure that she understood the words he was saying, "I would get some sleep if I were you, otherwise you will just be sick again."

Valerie tried to nod, but it hurt. She would have yelled, but she didn't have the voice, or the energy. She slumped over where she sat, and fell into a deep sleep.


	6. 6: Scarlet Cyclone

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Okay, so I am totally out of it right now, and the only reason that I am updating is to spite Valerie. Which, is endlessly amusing no matter __**what**__ my own state of reasoning is. So, I am deeply sorry if this chapter doesn't make logical sense._

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Six:

"Sir!" The man wearing glasses yelled, suddenly.

"What?" his companion asked, sarcastically and disgruntledly.

"The...the...green _thing_ has...changed"

Both men looked at Valerie's cell phone, which did indeed look surprisingly different. Instead of the usual jagged grey lines that normally made their way across the screen, it was replaced by a swirling cyclone of scarlet.

"What did you **do**?" He asked Kabuto.

"I have no fucking clue!!" Kabuto replied, glasses gleaming, "But we better go tell Orochimaru."

- - - - -

"Do you hear something?" Temari asked, turning to Dee.

Dee looked up, wisps of her dark brown hair blowing around her face elegantly, "I don't think so," she replied tentatively.

"It sounds like..." Kankuro began, stopping, as if unwilling to finish his thought.

"Like what?" Dee asked, still unable to hear a thing.

"Pain," said a somewhat un-familiar voice. All three turned around. Sitting on a chair about ten feet behind them was Gaara, specks of sand floated around him, making the sight of him all the more disturbing.

"What?!" Dee asked, scared.

"What they can hear," Gaara continued, "it _sounds_ like pain."

Dee blinked, his face was so expressionless, it was frightening. She looked over at the other two siblings, who both instantly averted their eyes.

"_And_," she heard the figure continuing, causing her eyes to snap back to him in an instant, "the sound seems to be coming from your pocket."

- - - - -

"Kate?" Kiba asked her, as she picked up Akamaru, preparing to bathe him. She turned to look at him, her eyes twinkling and hair shining in the sunlight.

"Yeah?" she asked, before giving Akamaru all of her attention yet again.

"Your..._fone_," he continued, "It...is making a weird noise."

Kate put Akamaru down, and stared at him for a while before pulling the phone out of her left pocket. She opened it, looking at the screen; the next thing she heard was not pleasant.

_"Please! Please stop! I didn't mean to, it won't happen again!"_

_"You're damn __**right**__ it won't happen again."_

Afterwards, she heard the sounds of beating, and screaming, it was all too much for her. Eyes filling with tears, and not wanting Kiba to see her in such a weak form, she threw the phone at him, before rushing back to the Hyuuga estate.

- - - - -

"_This_ is what happens when you _don't_ listen to instructions!" Orochimaru bellowed at his subordinate. Kabuto cowered on the floor, whimpering as he was kicked and beaten repeatedly by his master.

"Please!" he begged, "Please stop!"

Orochimaru wasn't listening to him, "Because of _you_, Kabuto," He whispered venomously, "this _entire_ operation may be ruined." He threw the cell phone, thwacking Kabuto in the face, cracking his glasses, before he stormed out of the room.

"Damn," Kabuto said, not meaning it to be aloud. He picked himself up, brushing the dirt off of his pants, before heading out of the door to talk to Valerie.

- - - - -

Kate laid, face down on the bed in her room, the remnants of the mascara she had put on before she came here, were now streaked all over and around her pillow. Hearing a slight knock at the door, she sat up, wiping her face with the bottom of her shirt, before saying, "come in."

Hinata was at the door, which surprised Kate, because she hadn't talked to Hinata _yet_ during the time she had stayed in the mansion.

"What up?" Kate said, trying her best to conceal the fact that she had just been overcome by an unbearable sadness.

"I know that there is something wrong," Hinata whispered.

Kate nodded, "I-I think that one of my friends is in danger," she said, knowing that Hinata didn't expect her to tell outright what was wrong.

The dark-haired girl's eyebrows shot upwards as Kate described all that happened to her so far, her theory, coming in, loosing Valerie, and _now_, what she had just heard on the phone. "I am sure your friends are fine," she said, smiling and trying to comfort her new friend.

- - - - -

Similarly, Dee was now overcome with distraught. She figured that the noise was coming from Kate's phone, considering she had not gotten in contact with Valerie the entire time. But, what was really bothering her, was that she knew that neither of the voices she had heard on the other end were Kate's.

She laid down, the wooden floor of the living room felt good underneath her as she pondered the new problem.

'_Wow_,' she thought, ´_I don't think that I have thought this long and hard about __**anything**_.'

- - - - -

Kiba approached the Hyuuga manor, holding Kate's cell phone close to his body. As he walked, he thought seriously about what had happened only about an hour before. Although he had not heard any of the specific dialog, he knew that it must have been bad, just because of Kate's reaction.

Knocking on the tall doors, he stared awkwardly at the sky, before hearing the door creak and looking back at it. Cold, lifeless, light purple eyes stared back at him.

"Yes?" Neji demanded.

"This is Kate's," Kiba said, thrusting his hand out in front of him. Neji plucked the phone out of his hands, turned around and closed the door before Kiba had a chance to say and do anything else.

"Who was that?" Hanabi asked, in a dull voice, very similar to her cousin's.

"Someone who doesn't matter," he stated simply. He crossed the courtyard briskly, keen to get away from his bothersome younger family member, and _not_ because he was concerned with getting the silver object back to Kate.

- - - - -

Hinata and Kate had been talking for a long time when there was finally another knock on the door, which opened before either of them could answer it.

"Here," Neji said, tossing the phone across the room.

"Brother..." Hinata started to say.

"Hinata," he answered, "training."

Hinata hung her head, although she was really eager to improve her skills as a ninja, at the moment she just wanted to understand this new person. She got up, shrugging as she passed Kate, and following her cousin out of the door, closing it behind herself.

Kate glared at the phone, and then lifted her shaking hand to an ear, "Dee?"


	7. 7: Hokage

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Just so you know, I __**AM**__ aware that Chapter 6 pretty much sucked. But I couldn't jump to Valerie being saved right away could I? Well, I promise it will get better, and I hope that this chapter is MUCH better than 6._

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Seven:

_"Dee? Dee!? Are you there?"_

Dee looked over at her phone, and her dark eyes widened as she realized who it was speaking, "Kate!" she yelled, startling the person on the other side.

_"Dee! Are you okay?"_ Kate asked tentatively.

"Of course, but what about you?"

_"I am fine," _Kate answered,_ "What was all that screaming about?"_

"Y-you mean that _wasn't_ you?" Dee responded, stuttering.

_"No! It wasn't you?"_

"No, but that means it was..." Dee started.

"VALERIE!" They both yelled in unison.

_"Shit,"_ Kate swore, _"What the hell has she gotten herself into?"_ Dee paused, too scared to say what she had been thinking about earlier that day.

_"Dee?"_

"Kate," she said, in an extremely serious voice, causing Kate to listen all the more intently, "I was thinking."

_"mmm,"_ Kate urged her to continue.

"Well, you went to Konoha, and I went to Suna."

_"Yes, we __**know**_ _this," _Kate interrupted, impatiently.

"Wouldn't that mean," Dee continued, with a little more confidence, "That Valerie is in another major setting during this part of the series?"

- - - - -

"You don't mean," Kate began, her eyes widened in horror as she came to the same realization as her friend.

_"I think that she is with Orochimaru."_

"T-then the voices we heard, it wasn't Valerie, was it?"

_"I don't think so," _Dee responded, _"In fact, the more I think about it, it seems to me that the two voices belonged to Kabuto and Orochimaru himself."_

Kate breathed a slight sigh of relief, "But why would Orochimaru purposely harm his own subordinate?"

Dee's end of the phone was silent.

"Then again," Kate continuing, as a thought occurred to her, "It _did_ seem like Kabuto did something wrong!"

_"But," _Dee answered, pessimistically,_ "If he did __**that**__ to Kabuto, WHAT had he done with Valerie?"_

"AND, how has he gotten his hands on her cell phone?"

_"__**AND**__," _Dee elaborated further, _"__**WHY**__ haven't we heard anything from them until now?"_

"I think I should go talk to Tsunade," Kate replied firmly, before hearing Dee sigh on the other line.

_"That seems like a good idea."_

- - - - -

The air was brisk as she made her way to the Hokage's office building. Kate was glad she had borrowed one of Hinata's many parkas.

As the building drew closer, sweat made its way down her neck; she was nervous.

'_My first impression wasn't exactly solid_,' she thought, '_I hope she will help us_.' She sighed, '_She will probably just make me pay her more, like I have time for __**that**_!!'

She climbed the stairs, still nervous, but no longer sweating; she passed the guard without paying any attention.

"Miss?" She heard him say, "MISS?"

Turning to him, still deep in thought, it didn't occur to her that she may not be allowed to see Tsunade at this point in time.

"Yes?" she asked him, politely.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to see the Hokage," she stated simply.

"Haven't we already had this conversation?" said the man, standing up.

"It is very likely, but I really need to speak to her."

"I am afraid I _can't_ let you do that because-" the man began.

"It's okay Toshiro," They heard, both of them turned to see Lady Tsunade herself emerging from her office, "Have you brought my money?" she asked, looking directly at Kate.

A grin spread across Kate's face, "Not quite." Tsunade scowled as Kate continued, her teal eyes dancing, "Actually, I have come for the exact opposite purpose."

- - - - -

"So," Tsunade said, attempting to confirm what she barely understood, "You suspect that this _friend_ of yours is currently the prisoner of Orochimaru?" Kate nodded as a response.

"And _now_," The Hokage continued, "you expect _me_ to send a search and rescue party?"

"No!" Kate said, exasperatedly, "I want you to send someone to _infiltrate_ the property to see if it is _necessary _to send the search and rescue party."

"I am sorry," Tsunade said, "But I am just not willing to send one of my own into a dangerous situation to rescue someone I don't know _for_ someone who can't even _pay_ me for the services!"

"Please!" begged Kate, "You don't understand!" Tsunade raised her eyebrows, "_What_ don't I understand?"

Kate sighed, "Okay I guess you _do_ understand," hanging her head she muttered, "But I thought that your understanding would cause you to _help_ us."

Kate turned around, about to leave the room, her hair hanging limply around her and eyes drooped.

"Fine!"

"What?" Kate yelled, as she whipped around.

"I'll help."

- - - - -

"Ah, hello Valerie," Kabuto said in a disgustingly sweet voice.

"What do _you_ want?" Valerie spat, looking him directly in the eye.

_SMACK! _Valerie flinched at the stinging pain she felt running across her cheek. "BASTARD!" she yelled, before feeling the same contact to her other cheek.

"Just leave her ALONE," the figure in the corner said, "She only wants to know what you want with her!"

"I suggest you **both** keep quiet if you know what's best for you," he spat, looking down into Valerie's puffy swollen eyes, "I only came here to ask you a civilized question."

"Civilized? I seriously doubt that," Valerie yelled at him.

Kabuto raised his hand again, bringing it down quickly, stopping it right before hitting her delicate face again. He brought his face down to hers as he said, greasily, "You just don't know what's good for you, do you?" Valerie growled.

"All I want to know," he said, light bouncing off his glasses, lighting her face, "Is what _this_ means."

Valerie flinched as her cell phone was thrust into her face. She held out a shaking hand, to take the phone and look at it. Moving the screen up, she noticed the screen had become scarlet, and everything was spinning.

Her eyes narrowed, "I have never seen it like this!" she said to Kabuto.

He threw his hands into the air and stormed off, muttering. Still holding the phone, she looked down at it, wondering if he really intended to let her keep it, "Wow," she muttered, incredulity was written all over her face.

She got up, stumbling over her feet, not really paying attention to what she was doing. She slid down the wall, sitting cross-legged next to Koori.

_"I will send Anko, first thing in the morning,"_ she heard, coming from the phone, a little later she heard, _"Temari, is Gaara always like that?"_

Sounds were coming through the phone, she heard a voice she didn't recognize, then Dee's, and then Kate's, but they didn't seem to be talking to each other, more like they were both having conversations, in different places, at the same time.

"Weird," she heard Koori say, looking over her shoulder, their arms brushing together. She nodded, looking up into his eyes, they were so icy, but warm at the same time; she was truly glad that she had been stuck in this cell with _him_.


	8. 8: Alarm

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) I have been thinking about this story, a lot. Actually, that is pretty much __**all**__ I have been thinking about lately. I am thinking that after it is all done there will be 15 chapters. _

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Eight:

"Fine!" Tsunade said, giving in to the young girls request, "We'll send Anko later _today_, instead then, but the rush will cost you extra."

Kate stared at her, and finally nodded, frowning at the thought of having to pay even **more**. The idea of her being able to pay it off now was absolutely ludicrous.

"Anko!" Tsunade yelled, making Kate jump, "Please come here."

The door creaked open, and the spiky-haired woman walked in, "Hey," she said simply.

"I trust you heard everything?" the Hokage said, eyes narrowed.

"Yeah," Anko sighed, "Go to Orochimaru's, find out if he is sick and twisted, look for girl... blah... blah... blah." Tsunade rolled her eyes, and nodded, shooing Anko out of her office with a wave of her hand.

"Happy?" she asked Kate, who simply grinned, turned on her heal, and left with a slight skip in her step.

- - - - -

"So how'd it go?" Dee said to her phone, tensely.

_"Of course!"_ Kate answered, joyously, _"What'd you expect?"_

"Not that," Dee responded honestly, her voice cracked as she started to giggle, "What's the plan?"

_"Anko is leaving in about an hour, and she will be back later tonight."_

Dee stared at her phone in shock, this was all very sudden, "What did you have to do to get THAT arrangement?"

She heard her friend sigh, a little _overly_ dramatically, _"Welllll,"_ Kate said, _"At this point, my debt has increased so much, I think I might __**literally**__ have to give an arm and a leg..." _she paused, _"maybe two."_

Dee laughed, it seemed like a long time since she heard Kate's quirky sense of humor, "I will talk to you later then," she said, before closing her phone, and stuffing it back into her pocket, not waiting to hear Kate's answer.

She meandered down the stairs, at a leisurely pace, with a concerned look on her face.

"You shouldn't frown," said someone right behind her, causing her to jump three feet into the air.

"What the-" she yelled, spinning around, and meeting face to face with Kankuro, who was grinning, "How'd _you_ know I was scowling?"

"Be_cause_," He said, his smile broadening, "I walked past you going _up_ the stairs, and doubled _back_ when you _didn't_ answer me the first time!"

Dee stared at him in awe, "Seriously?" '_I was __**that**__ out of it_??' she thought. Kankuro was still smiling.

"Whatever it is," he started, as he began to make his way up the stairs again, "it will turn out just fine." He turned the corner at the top and disappeared.

'_Thanks Kankuro_,' Dee thought as she continued down the stairs, as the slight grin on her face returned.

- - - - -

"What I don't understand," Valerie said, looking up at Koori, "is why are _you_ in here anyway?"

Koori got up, brushing against her and made his way across the cell, before turning around to look at her, and sitting down again. He didn't answer. Valerie raised her eyebrows at him, but didn't pressure him to continue; she looked at her cell phone again, as if willing it to give her the answers.

"Pretty much the same reason you are..."

Valerie looked up at the man seated across from her, his ice-like eyes shielded by the mop of strawberry locks on top of his head, "W-what?" she stuttered.

"I am here for no good reason," he said, raising his head to look at her, but she looked away, as if she didn't believe him. There was a long silence; to Valerie, it seemed like it lasted centuries.

Valerie turned her head to look at Koori, who looked away before she could realize that he had been staring, "Okay," she heard him sigh, "That isn't the reason." She turned to him, eyebrows nestled high on her brow.

"The truth is," he said, "I came here to avenge my village."

"What?!" Valerie shouted, before hearing an indignant "SHHHHH!"

"Orochimaru killed my village, and I was too much of a coward to stay and fight," Koori spat bluntly, as if punishing himself.

"So-so you have nobody worrying about you?" Valerie said, unable to comprehend her cell-mate's pain, "Nobody to go home to?"

Koori shook his head, his story made a sympathetic tear roll down Valerie's dirt covered, bruised cheek. She got up forcefully, and staggered over to her friend, sitting down near to him once again, "I'm glad you didn't die," she whispered.

Koori looked at her and didn't answer, except for his slight nod, as he gazed out of the cell and put a muscled arm around her weakened frame.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, they heard an alarm go off, yelling, and the sounds of things crashing to the floor. A figure appeared in the slightly lit doorway, standing still for only a couple seconds before dashing across the length of the jail, and out again.

After the figure had disappeared, a crowd, of what appeared to be Orochimaru's subordinates, rushed after it.

"What the hell-" Koori began. The two stared out of the cell. Valerie wrapped an arm around Koori's waist, pulling herself closer, not wanting to loose hold of him. He turned and looked at her, "I think everything will turn out okay," he said, smiling.

- - - - -

Anko ran as fast as she could, the darkness aiding in her escape; she barely touched the trees she landed in before taking off again.

"Tsunade!" she yelled as she approached the gates of Konoha, "TSUNADE!"

- - - - -

Tsunade jumped, and shot up in her chair. Shizune stared at her, surprised to see her so awake after being completely knocked out on top of her paperwork.

"Tsunade!" she heard again, turning to see where the sound had been coming from.

Her door burst open, flying off of the hinges, "Tsunade!" Anko yelled, "She's there!"


	9. 9: Naruto

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Well, Thank you to those who have stuck with me and read this for all this time. A special thanks goes to Dee, Valerie, belliesgonagetcha, & SageofAges729 for reading and reviewing. I really value your input. (I should also thank __**Valerie**__ for putting up with my constant torturing of her, and __**Dee **__for realizing that laziness is not something enjoyable to read OR WRITE about)._

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Eight:

"Kate?" Hinata asked, cautiously, looking around the door to her room, hearing a loud groan, followed by swearing. "K-Kate..." Hinata stuttered, "Tsunade sent Shizune this morning..." Kate mumbled, and waved Hinata on, wishing her to continue her story. "S-she said to tell you that Anko...cme bk n an...sdsessss Valerie" Hinata said, incoherently.

"Huh?" Kate mumbled, sitting up, and cracking her back.

"A-Anko is...is back," Hinata said again.

"AND..." Kate said, not meaning to get irritable with her shy new friend.

"SHE SAW VALERIE!" Hinata finally yelled, in her squeaky voice, her hair falling into her eyes as she spun around and ran out the door, shutting it behind her.

"God damnit!" Kate swore, getting out of bed and moping over to the bathroom to splash water on her face, before getting dressed and heading out to see the Hokage.

- - - - -

"So Anko saw her?" Kate asked, barging into the Hokage's office, surprised to find the door leaning against the wall.

"Yes," Tsunade said, "so I have decided that we WILL send a search and rescue team to find and retrieve her."

"So who will be on the team with me?"

"_With_ you?" Tsunade questioned her with a surprised tone to her voice.

"Of course," Kate retorted, "How else do you expect us to identify her?" Tsunade sighed and looked down at her paperwork.

"Fine," she mumbled, "I will arrange a team." She looked up at Kate, "and I suggest _you_ go back to the Hyuuga's and prepare yourself."

"Granny TSU-naaaaah-DE!" Kate and Tsunade both looked in alarm at the doorway and a blonde orange jumpsuit-wearing boy dashed in.

"_What_? Naruto?" Tsunade asked, "Can't you see I am in the middle of something?"

"I know, I know, I know," Naruto said, in a slightly whiney voice, "That's what I came to talk to you about!" Kate stared at the boy in surprise, he was _much_ more annoying in 'real life' than he _ever_ was in the show.

"I want to go tooooo," the boy continued to whine, "I want to see if I can find Sasuke, and convince him to come back."

Tsunade let out a large sigh, and looked up at Kate, "Client?" she asked, "Would you mind if _he_," she pointed at Naruto, "Accompanies your team?" Kate's eyebrows shot up, and her eyes widened; she stared at Tsunade is surprise, then are Naruto, and then decided it would be for the best.

"Oh-kay," she said, defeated, "I know his complaining will only get worse if I _don't _take him... but on _one _condition," she said looking as Tsunade slyly.

"And what _is_ that condition?" Tsunade asked, taken aback by the sudden change in position.

"You lower my debt!" Kate said grinning proudly.

"I will cut it down my one third," Tsunade bargained.

"Half!" Kate shot back.

"One third or I will just keep Naruto and you will owe double."

"Fine, as long as I get to pick the rest of my team."

"Done!" Tsunade yelled, "go inform your team, and make sure they are ready to leave in two hours.

"Right!" Kate said, walking out of the room. She stopped, and looked over her shoulder, "C'mon," she beckoned to Naruto, "I am sure my team will need help carrying supplies."

"What _am_ I?" Naruto yelled in disgust, "some sort of _PACK MULE?!_"

"Precisely," Kate answered, and continued out the door, Naruto running after her. Tsunade smiled; she would never admit, even to herself, that Kate was just like her.

- - - - -

Kate looked around at her team as they stood at the gates, ready to leave Konoha.

"Hinata," she said, pointing to her, "You will take the lead, followed by me, then Naruto, and Kiba bringing up the rear. Also," she continued, "Kiba, I promote you the leader of this part of the operation."

"What about-" Naruto began.

"Shut up," Kate said, already fed up with him, "just keep your mouth shut, the only reason you're here is because I am cheap." Naruto hung his head, but luckily didn't say anything, which made Kate smile to herself.

"Let's go then!" Kiba said.

"Hold on," Kate said, "I need to tell Dee we are about to head off."

- - - - -

Dee was currently making her way through the desert with Temari and Kankuro.

"This sucks!" she mumbled, but the wind picked up, and her voice was carried away before the siblings could even realize she had spoken.

"Dzz!" she heard coming from her pocket, picking up her phone she heard Kate on the other end, "Dee... we... leaving...now...talk...later."

"Damn," she said sarcastically, putting the phone back in her pocket, "Who'd of thought that the reception would be so horrible in the middle of nowhere!"

"Did you say something?" Temari asked her, turning to look. Dee smirked and shook her head, continuing to trek on behind the others.

- - - - -

"Well now that _that's_ settled," Kate said, turning to look at the group, "Let's go!"

"I believe that it is _my_ job to say that," Kiba said sternly, with a smirk on his face. Kate raised her eyebrows.

The wind picked up as Kiba turned to look at the rest of the group, "Okay guys!" he said, with a serious expression and tone, "Let's get down to work!"


	10. 10: Reuniting

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Okay, earlier in the series (chapter 3 I think) I said that I won't be able to update regularly __**all**__ the time. Well, unfortunately after today I we will have to say goodbye to my regular updation (and to my life in general) because my summer reading assignment is due on August first, and I have not yet started. --' Don't worry, you will all eventually find out what happens to Kate, Dee, and especially Valerie, but not everyday... lol_

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Ten:

Dee gazed up at the sky, which was unusually grey. The group had been walking since Kate first called Dee about arranging the teams, but that wasn't nearly long enough for the sun to be going down already. The wind picked up, blowing sand all around her and into her mouth, nose, and eyes.

"Damn!" she spluttered, and she tried to spit it out, without allowing more to enter, her eyes watering the entire time. Temari and Kankuro turned to look at her, smiling. They, of course, were used to this sort of climate. Unfortunately, living in Ohio does not prepare one for a sand storm.

Dee continued to splutter and swear for over an hour, until the three of them finally entered the lush forest, located on the outskirts of the desert. '_This doesn't make logical or geographical sense_,' Dee thought as she managed to brush the remainder of sand off of her clothing and out of her hair.

"I think we should rest here," Temari said, turning to her. The blonde girl was naturally the leader of the current observation. Even though Dee was older, Temari's experience more than tripled her own, along with being knowledgeable about the area, it only made sense.

Dee sat her bag down and smiled to herself as she walked over to a nearby tree, sliding down it and sitting on the grassy ground beneath her.

"How much farther do we have left to go?" She asked, turning to Kankuro, who was leaning against a nearby tree.

"I would say about an hour," he responded. Dee nodded and closed her eyes, already exhausted from coming _this_ far.

'_I wonder if this is karma_,' she thought to herself, '_I got free room and board, and Kate had to work her's off... so I end up walking for six hours_?!' Dee sighed, and before she realized it, fell asleep.

- - - - -

"Okay," Kate said, impatiently, "We are in position, right on time..." She paused and looked around, "Where _are_ they?"

"I see them about two-hundred meters, that way," Hinata squeaked, pointing, "They're heading towards us."

"Well I would _hope_ so..." Kate mumbled, still rather annoyed, Naruto wasn't helping matters. It seemed every thirty seconds he was coming up with another 'great idea,' or he was rushing ahead, as if _he_ were in charge.

Kate clenched and un-clenched her fist repeatedly, to relieve her anger, and sat down against a tree, arms crossed and brow furrowed. '_At least I don't owe Tsunade as much now_,' Kate thought, but it was beginning to dawn on her that she would rather have to pay more money than listen to Naruto for another minute.

She swore under her breath and put her head down on her arms, '_get here __**soon**__ Dee_,' she though, '_otherwise the main character of this show might just end up dead._'

- - - - -

"Dee," Kankuro said, "Dee?" Dee groaned, and open her eyes sleepily.

"We are almost there," she heard Temari say, "And I don't think you want your friend to see you sleeping when we do." Dee looked down at herself, and realized that she was tied to Kankuro's back like a puppet. Her eyes snapped open quickly from shock, looking at Temari, she saw she was carrying the puppet on her own back, and Kankuro had her fan tucked under Dee.

Dee blushed as Kankuro released her, and she stepped out quickly, "How long-" she began to say.

"Since we stopped the first time," Kankuro said.

"Sorry!" Dee said, the flush in her cheeks had now completely filled her face, making her feel as if she had a slight fever.

Temari put down Kankuro's puppet, and stretched her sholders and back, while Kankuro simply placed the fan beside his sister and picked up Karasu, thrusting it easily over his shoulders. Dee stood up.

"Ready?" Temari asked, Dee nodded, and the group continued. It wasn't long before they spotted Naruto, standing in the middle of the pathway, as if to ward them away.

- - - - -

"Move out of the way!" Kate yelled at Naruto, before muttering to herself, "You useless bag of shit!!" Naruto hung his head and scuffled off to hide behind a tree.

When Kate looked up again, it was to see Kankuro and Temari staring at her, strangely.

"Where's Dee?" She asked, teal eyes wide. They softened as she noticed a slightly ruffled Dee emerge from behind the siblings, smiling, "Hey," she said simply. Kate smiled up at her, before standing up.

"Cool," Kate said with a nod, let's go then, "Kiba? Hinata?" She called for them, and they emerged from behind a nearby tree.

"Let's go then!" Kiba said, his eye twinkling as the group plunged forward.

"Don't forget meee!" Kate and Dee heard a whiney voice call, both rolling their eyes in unison.

"I was kinda hoping we _would_," Dee said, turning to Kate.

"Yeah," Kate agreed, "me too."

- - - - -

As they approached the building, they noticed that it did not seem to be guarded. The group all looked at each other carefully, not sure if they were about to fall into a booby trap or not. However, they continued to sneak forward, and before they knew it, they were inside.

"That was surprisingly easy," Dee whispered, turning to Kate, who nodded in agreement.

"VALERIE!!" Yelled a voice behind him, "VAAALE-oompf" Naruto began to call again, before being punched in the stomach by Kate, who covered his mouth.

"If you don't shut your fucking mouth," She hissed at him, her eyes ablaze, "I am seriously going to kill you!" Naruto gulped, but nodded to show that he understood.

Kate turned back around, and looked at Dee, who was obviously trying her hardest not to laugh. She grinned and looked ahead, ready for whatever was coming next.

- - - - -

"I think we are lost," Temari said, looking around at the others, who all seemed to agree with her. Just as she said it, they turned a corner, hearing a chuckle coming from the back of the group.

"We already told you to shut your mouth Naruto!" Dee said, without looking.

"I didn't even _say_ anything!" he answered, indignantly.

"We all heard it," Kate said, "There is no point in denying it."

"That wasn't _me_!" Naruto denied.

"If it wasn't you," Dee said, turning to face it, "Who... wa-wa-waaa" Kate turned to look at her. She was pointing to the back of the group; Kate looked, and _saw_ what Dee had been stuttering at.

"God damnit!" She said, looking into the eyes of the individual standing behind Naruto.

"Well, well well," Kabuto said, his voice just as greasy as usual, "_What_ do we have HERE?"


	11. 11: Kabuto

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Uh... just read the Chapter 10 one... countdown... Only 4 more chapters after this one!!!_

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Eleven:

Kate glared at her least favorite character for less than a second, before drawing back a fist and punching him directly in the nose, feeling it break under the pressure, and causing him to fly back four or five feet.

Dee turned to look at her, eyes wide, "Where'd that come from?" she asked with incredulity.

"I just really hate _him_," Kate said, smiling, "Let's go!"

"Uh..." Kiba started, "I think that we should stay behind and just make sure that he doesn't come after us."

Kate shrugged, "I might as well stay too," she said, and after Temari pushed Kankuro to join, the remainder of the group set off again. '_Damn_,' Dee thought, looking back as she ran, '_Kate was smart! Not only does she get to beat up on the person she hates the most, but she gets to avoid __**Naruto **__tooo_!!!'

"Something wrong?" Temari asked her, to which Dee's response was simply a shrug as they continued onward.

- - - - -

Kabuto staggered to his feet, wincing slightly and violently snapping his nose back into place. "Why you little bitch!" he yelled, spitting out the blood that had just rushed into his mouth from the river that was once his nose.

Kate smirked, "What of it?" she asked, happy that she could finally take out her frustration on someone, "Do you have any idea how early I woke up this morning?" Kiba and Kankuro turned to look at her, unable to predict what she would say, or **do**, next.

Akamaru yipped, causing Kate to jump; he had been quiet for the entire trip, and his sudden declaration of his presence took her by surprise, which was exactly the kind of opening that Kabuto had been waiting for. He lunged, and Kate's eyes were wide, she was suddenly frozen with shock.

'Wham!' Kabuto groaned as he collided dead-on with Karasu. Kankuro withdrew his chakra strings and smirked down at the grey-haired heap.

"That was too easy," Kiba said un-easily, looking around. Kate was still frozen on the ground, the heap in front of her; when suddenly, it disappeared in a puff of smoke, to be replaced by a dead corpse.

Kate cringed at the sight of it; the smell was almost more than she could stand. She looked over at Kiba, his sensitive nose was being shielded by his fur coat, and it appeared as if Akamaru was hidden in there as well. One thing was certain, however, he definitely wasn't in any condition to fight.

Next she looked over at Kankuro, although his nose was wrinkled in disgust, he wasn't paralyzed like Kiba seemed to be. '_Where is he_?!' Kate thought, looking around frantically now, '_WHERE_?!'

As soon as the thought passed through her mind, she noticed a glint, just over Kankuro's shoulder. Her eyes were so wide, it seemed as if they would fall out of her head, but she wasn't stuck on the spot anymore.

She reached for Kankuro's leg, pulling it out from under him, just in time to allow him to move, technically 'fall,' out of the way of Kabuto's kunai swing.

"Very nice," she heard the man say, "but not quite what I was going for." His hand continued downward, down, further. It was so quick, that Kate barely had time to move, which she didn't.

The next thing she knew, the tip of the knife was through her hand, holding her firmly down onto the floor. She swore, loudly, not willing to move, for fear of tearing her entire hand off.

"That was a cheap shot!" Kankuro yelled, his hat flying off as he and Karasu lunged for Kabuto again.

"Too slow!" Kabuto responded to Kankuro's movement, but ignored his statement.

"What the hell are we going to do now?" Kate muttered, staring at her hand.

- - - - -

"Temari?" Dee called, from the back of the group, visibly tired, "Do we even know which way we're going?" Stopped, dead in her tracks, and looked at Dee for a second. Finally she shook her head.

"Nope," she responded, now frowning.

"I know!" Naruto yelled, and the three girls flinched, "Hinata can use her Byakugan!" All three of her comrades stared at Hinata, waiting for her answer.

"Okay..." she squeaked, "Byakugan!" There was a short pause before she said, "The prison seems to be pretty near here, we need to go straight, take a right, then a left, and then run to the end of that, and open a door."

"Sounds easy enough," said Temari, and the others agreed as they continued to run onward.

- - - - -

"SHIT!" Kate yelled, finally deciding to pull the kunai out of the back of her hand, blood spilled on the floor, making her feel nauseous. Spinning the knife around in her palm, she suddenly lunged for Kabuto, who was just about to corner Kankuro, after easily by-passing Karasu.

As she stabbed him, she raked the knife down his back before pulling it out again, before plunging it in deeper. Kabuto screamed in agony and spun around, punching her in the neck.

Kate wheezed, barely able to breathe, and now she was stuck. Kiba was cowering in the corner, unable to move from the smell of rotting flesh, and Kankuro was standing behind Kabuto, utterly useless.

She got up, jerkily, but she still had enough strength to stand. She staggered over to Kabuto, who was looking at her, a single eyebrow raised.

"What's your plan _now_?" He taunted her, drawing two more kunai, one in each hand. She didn't stop, and didn't let her own fear get the better of her. He crossed his arm in front of his body, forming an 'X' with the points on the knives facing her. When she was close enough, he brought them down swiftly, achieving a shallow diagonal cut in each cheek as he moved.

Kate clenched her teeth and stared at him, unafraid. She spit, hitting him in the eye, causing him to fall backwards in surprise. Instantly she kicked him in the groin; Kate smirked as he flew backward, doubled over in pain.

"You...crazy..._bitch_!" He managed to shout, before vomiting from the pain. Kate laughed in his face.

"I don't give a shit what you think!" She shouted, kicking him in the head.

Kabuto raised his head to look her dead in the eye, "That's what _you_ think," he spat viciously.

- - - - -

"Is this it?" Dee said, looking around the cell.

"D-Dee?" She heard a cracked voice say. Her eyes widened in shock as Valerie stood and walked into the light so Dee could see her, only, it didn't _look_ like Valerie. The person who stood before Dee had eyes, sunken in to the point where one could hardly tell the color. Her cheeks were bruised, and her entire figure was covered in dirt.

Dee blinked, could it be true?

"Koori," Valerie said, straining her voice, "My friends are here! We can finally escape!" Dee peered into the cell again, noticing another person leaning against the wall.

"Who's he?" She asked the person who was supposedly Valerie.

"I don't think now is exactly the time for that," Temari said, bluntly, "We need to figure out how to get this cell door open."

Dee nodded and looked around, wishing a key to appear from nowhere.

"I've got it!" Temari said, smiling, "Everybody stand back!"

Temari drew her fan from her back, creating a gust that pushed Dee into Naruto, who caught her, and then stepped back to ensure her safety. Dee shrugged him off, at least a little glad that she didn't end up on the floor.

"Make sure your back," Temari yelled to Valerie, and her cell-mate, "this is going to be wild!" Temari bit her thumb, running it along the widest part of her fan, then picking it up, she yelled, "Kamatari!"

Dee blinked. When she opened her eyes, the bars were demolished, and no where to be seen. "Nice," Dee said, before running over to help Valerie walk.

- - - - -

Kate didn't know how it happened, but all of a sudden, she was pinned in the corner by Karasu, Kankuro was on the floor, hands tied behind his back, and Kiba stood in the corner, still as useless as ever.

"Damn!" Kate yelled, "Damnit! Damnit! Shit! God!" Kabuto stared at her as the random string of profanities escaped her lips. Finally, after quite a lot of yelling, her knees gave out from under her, and she fell onto the floor, head hitting against it, causing her to yell in agony again.

"Kate!" she heard Naruto's whiney voice from off in the distance and, for the first and last time in her life, was glad. Before all she could see was blackness.


	12. 12: Escape!

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Here is Chapter 12... Three more chapters to go after this one!! I have been attempting to come up with a story where Me, Valerie, and Dee enter the BLEACH world. But, for the life of me I can't figure out a good plot line. I will think over the coming school year and then hopefully next summer I'll write another fanfic._

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Twelve:

"I guess we should head back now," Dee said, lethargically, turning to look at Temari. Valerie was leaning on her shoulder, barely able to stand. Koori, on the other hand, could stand, but walking seemed like a painful effort for him.

Temari nodded, leading the way, Hinata and Naruto following closely behind, with Dee, Valerie, and Koori bringing up the rear.

"W-where's Kate?" Valerie asked; Dee noticed that she was droopy eyed, and slightly delusional.

"She was fighting Kabuto when we left her," Dee responded simply.

"What?" Koori asked, joining the conversation in a hurry, "Why would you let her face him alone?"

"Oh, she isn't alone..." Dee said, before trailing off.

"Naruto!" Temari yelled, causing the back of the pack to look up, "Don't run ahead!"

- - - - -

"GAH!!!"

"What the-" Kabuto said, turning around to see where the blatant yelling was coming from. The next thing he knew, he was kicked four or five times, he couldn't tell exactly how many. He could feel his chakra level starting to decrease; it took a lot out of him to subdue the hooded kid, no longer hooded, and the crazy girl, now motionless.

Blinking to get the blood out of his eyes, he looked around in front of him, feeling as if he were seeing things. Standing in front of him were four different Narutos, and there seemed to be another one dashing down the hall in the distance.

Kabuto sighed as he looked at him, "Not you again!"

- - - - -

"Oh no!" Dee heard Temari mutter.

"What's going on up there?" She yelled to her companion.

Temari didn't answer, Hinata did, "As far as I can tell," she said, "It seems as if Kiba and Kate are both unconscious, Kankuro, I think, is trapped behind one of his puppets."

Dee sighed and shook her head, '_I should have __**known**__ not to leave them alone_!'

Temari and Hinata both broke into a run, quickly catching up to where their teammates lay. Evaluating the situation, Temari quickly ducked behind Karasu and untied Kankuro, who immediately strapped the puppet onto his back again.

"You take Kate," Temari said, "Me and Naruto will stay to finish _him_ off."

Kankuro nodded slightly and muttered, "Be careful," before picking up the limp and bleeding girl and heading out. Hinata followed closely behind supporting a limp, staggering Kiba.

Temari turned to Kabuto, "Now you are _really_ going to get it!" she yelled.

- - - - -

Dee, Valerie, and Koori were still making their slow return to the others; when they turned the corner, they were shocked and disturbed at what they saw.

The was blood smeared all over the small area where their friends had, inevitably, been fighting for their lives. A rotting body lay somewhat off to the side of the scene, and as they approached, its stench made Dee gag.

"What the hell..." Koori said, to nobody in particular, eyes wide.

It was then that Dee noticed Temari and Naruto. Both of which were fighting Kabuto, who looked distinctly worse for the wear. '_If __**he**__ looks like __that_,' Dee thought, '_What sort of condition are the __**rest**__ in_?!'

The thought itself shocked Dee to the point where she subconsciously stopped moving. Valerie turned to look at her, knowing what she was thinking.

"If we hurry," she said, as if Dee had said the thought aloud, "We can see how they are."

Dee looked back at Valerie, her dark eyebrows pressed together in the middle of her forehead, "I don't think that you are in any position to worry about others," she said, bluntly.

"Either way," Koori said, butting in and making Dee jump, "We should keep moving."

- - - - -

Kankuro staggered out of the dark hallway, and into the late-day sun. He wandered over to a nearby tree, seeking some shade for his half-dead mate. It was only a couple minutes later that Hinata appeared, with Kiba. Kankuro nodded, acknowledging them, as they made their way toward him.

Kiba sighed and looked down at Kate, "Shit," he said, looking straight ahead again, "I was close to no use at all."

Hinata looked down at her legs, "I wasn't much better," she said, as both Kiba and Kankuro looked at her. All three sighed, Kate stirred.

"What's going on?" she yelled, her eyes shooting open as she attempted to sit up. She yelled in pain and slumped down again, letting out a small sob.

- - - - -

Kabuto seemed rather distracted, as the three snuck past him, following the trail of blood.

"This is disgusting," Dee grimaced, trying to avoid stepping in the pools, "Is this all from one person?"

"You should hope not," Koori said, startling Dee for what felt like the fifth time, "If so," he continued monotonously, "They are probably near dead." Valerie's eyebrows shot up behind her hair, as she looked at him.

A cold sweat started to make its way down Dee's neck, assuming the worst about her friends. "Valerie," she said, not looking at her, "considering that Kankuro nor Kiba die in this series..." she trailed off.

"You don't mean..." Valerie caught on to her drift.

"This is probably Kate's blood," Koori finished for the both of them. Whether it was physically possible or not, the three began to move considerably faster.

- - - - -

Temari whirled her fan around, and Naruto hit the man multiple times, both to no success.

"This isn't working!" Temari yelled in frustration, as Kabuto smirked.

"And to think I was worried about my chakra levels," he mocked them.

"We need a plan!" Naruto frowned, and Temari nodded, but neither knew how to proceed.

"I've got it!" Temari yelled, retreating to a back corner, away from the enemy. Naruto followed, grinning, after leaving about a hundred clones behind him.


	13. 13: Love

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) Hello again Readers. I deeply apologize for the EXTREME delay in the release of this chapter, I got back from band camp earlier today. After this one there are only two more, so I hope to finish by Monday or Tuesday, so that I can finish up my AP work. Because it is so close to the end of this though, I have seriously been thinking about what to do next summer, or possibly during the school year. What I have come up with is a sequel to this story, which I have already started to come up with ideas for. So, I hope you will be looking out for that in the near future. Thanks again for sticking with me! Kate_

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Thirteen:

Kate's eyes fluttered open as she began to wheeze a cough. Looking up, she saw Kankuro straightening out the wrap that usually covered Karasu.

"This is hardly the time to be worrying about your stupid puppets!" Kiba yelled, indignantly. Kankuro turned to the boy and sighed, carrying the cloth over to where Kate was slumped on the ground. He ducked behind her, and she could hear the sound of ripping before she felt his coarse hands on her arm, wrapping the material tightly around it from her shoulder to her palm.

Coughing again, she closed her eyes, opened them, and closed them yet again.

- - - - -

"We're out," Hinata mumbled as the four of them reached the exit. Dee nodded and shuffled out, looking for Kate.

"Deeee!" she heard, turning to see Kankuro running towards them. "Dee," he said again as he got closer, "Kate and Kiba are this way." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, then turned on his heal dramatically before running back.

Valerie and Dee ran after him, letting Koori and Hinata lag behind.

"There," Kankuro sighed, slowing down and pointing to where Kate was propped up against a tree. Kiba was next to her, using the sleeve of his jacket to wipe the blood off of her forehead and chin.

Valerie gasped, staggering over and throwing herself down next to her.

"Wh-what exactly happened?!" Dee asked incredulously, but her question went un-answered. "I can't _believe_ it!!" Dee yelled, looking upward and shaking her fists.

Valerie was still speechless.

- - - - -

"Rasengan!" Naruto yelled, earning himself yet another chuckle from Kabuto.

"Do you seriously think you can fool me with your petty tricks?" Kabuto hissed, his eyes and teeth both glimmered, while the rest of his features were cast into shadows.

Naruto growled as Temari whirled her fan around again and again. Kabuto dodged every attack, defeating all of Naruto's shadow clones with a single kunai.

"What the hell!?" Temari shouted, sweat running down her face, getting in her eyes, "At this rate he will _beat_ us!"

"His chakra levels are still low," Naruto countered, "We don't need to defeat him, we could simply make it so he couldn't use any jutsus to attack us."

"He _isn't_ using any jutsus!!" Temari yelled, blowing further kunai away from herself.

Kabuto laughed, his eyes appeared brighter, possibly because of the glint on his glasses, "You cannot hope to beat _me_!" he said, still laughing as he whipped a small shuriken in Naruto's direction.

- - - - -

Dee stared at the group in front of her. Koori had thrown himself down under a nearby tree, and Valerie had soon followed, sitting close to him, but neither were talking. Kiba and Kankuro had finished cleaning Kate up, and then laid her down. Kankuro was now wandering around the tree, watching both Dee and Kate awkwardly, while Kiba and Hinata sat under yet another tree, conversing in whispers.

"I can't _stand_ this!" Dee yelled, turning around violently and storming back in the direction of the building.

"Where are you going?" Kankuro asked, still staring.

"Well," Dee said, almost smirking, "I _may_ be lazy, but I can't exactly sit around and let someone do _this_ to my friends."

With that, she ran off.

- - - - -

Naruto and Temari ran, side-by-side at Kabuto, who was still smiling. Both were struck simultaneously, but instead of drawing back in pain, both vanished in a puff of smoke.

Kabuto wheeled around, just in time to see both teens approaching from the opposite side. He raised his kunai above his head in time to meet Naruto's own, but the gust of wind from Temari was unavoidable.

Falling backwards he groaned, looking up to see Naruto's blue eyes and spiky blonde hair right above him.

"RASENGAN!!" Naruto hollered, thrusting his swirling ball of chakra into Kabuto's stomach. Kabuto groaned, but was not yet defeated.

He staggered to his feet, clutching his abdomen where his shirt was ripped and his twisted flesh was oozing blood.

Kabuto's glasses shone as he was grinning yet again.

"Why don't you just DIE?!" Temari yelled at him, falling over in her attempt to attack, joining Naruto on the ground, for he had just been hit in the shin. Neither of the teens had even seen Kabuto throw it.

"This is what you get for thinking that _you_ can defeat me," Kabuto said.

"That's what _YOU_ think," yelled a voice from behind him, followed by a groan from Kabuto.

Dee had appeared out of nowhere, kicking Kabuto directly in the small of the back. He flung forward, landing face first on the ground. Dee leaned over, gripping him by the collar.

She lifted his somewhat lifeless form off of the ground, to the point where he was now kneeling.

Supporting him with her left hand, she quickly withdrew her fist, "_That_ is for what you did to Valerie," she said jerking her head in the direction that she came from, "and _This_, is for what you did to Kate!" Dee punched him as hard as she possibly could, contacting him directly in the jaw, she felt it crack under the pressure.

Kabuto's eyes grew wide, his glasses flung off, completely shattering.

He closed his eyes, Naruto and Temari stared at Dee, completely dumbstruck, as Kabuto fell to the floor, as if in slow motion. Dee looked at them and shrugged.

"Where'd that come from?" Temari asked.

Dee grinned and scratched her head, "Well..." she began, "I _AM_ a black-belt in Aikido, and a blue belt in Tai Kwan Do."

Naruto seemed to be unable to move, Dee shuffled around awkwardly, unable to avoid his gaze.

"Well," Temari broke the silence, "I suppose now that he is taken care of," she paused, "We should get out of here."

Dee nodded, and the three of them sprinted out.

- - - - -

Kate opened her eyes again and sat up quickly, causing her head to throb.

"Ah!" she yelled, falling back down. Kankuro ran over to her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked, frowning at her, "You have some _serious_ injuries, so I wouldn't be moving if I were you."

Kate smirked and sighed, looking over at a nearby tree, "VALERIE!" she yelled in shock, finally realizing that her friend had been rescued. The girl turned to her, getting up and limping over.

"Kate," Valerie sighed, sitting down next to her.

"You're a mess," Kate replied, bluntly.

"Have you looked at _yourself_ lately?" Valerie smirked, before looking up again. "Oh look!" she said pointing, "It's Dee!"

- - - - -

Temari and Naruto both leaned on Dee shoulders as they made their way over to the group. All three sighed at once, "I suppose," Dee said as they got closer, "We should move further away, so that Orochimaru's subordinates can't just walk out their front door and trap us."

Kankuro nodded, bending over and picking Kate up, against her will as Valerie hobbled over to Koori so that she could have a more stable person to hold on to. Hinata got up and stumbled over to Naruto, blushing furiously as she walked beside him.

They all set off, moving slowly but surely until it was past dark.

- - - - -

As they sat around the fire in silence, Kiba sighed loudly. Koori got up and walked away towards a nearby tree, sitting down and obviously trying, and failing, to avoid the inevitable awkward situation.

Kiba sighed again.

Finally Kate snapped, turning to him she half-shouted, "What is _wrong_ with you?!"

The boy looked taken aback, and sighed again before answering, "I-I didn't..." Kate, Kankuro, and Dee stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "I didn't do anything to help," he finally finished.

Kate rolled her eyes, then heard another sigh, but this time not from Kiba's direction, but Hinata's, "me neither," the timid ninja said.

"Seriously," Kate said, looking at both of them, "Kiba, you couldn't _help_ it, so it isn't your fault... and Hinata, we wouldn't have found Valerie if you hadn't been there... so both of you really need to stop being so down."

Kiba shrugged and got up; he took a couple steps away and looked back, he sighed and continued walking away. Hinata nodded at nobody in particular before leaving for her tent.

"We should probably get to bed," Kankuro said. Him, Temari, Kate, and Dee stood up, making their way over to where they would be spending the night.

"Are you coming?" Dee asked Valerie, turning around to see the girl still sitting.

"In a minute," she mumbled. Dee shrugged and followed Kate into their tent.

- - - - -

It seemed like it took hours for the group to settle down. At least, it did to Valerie, who had been waiting for a chance to talk to Koori, alone, for almost the entire day.

When she heard Kankuro's snore, she stood up, slowly making her way over to Koori, who had been looking at her the entire time, as if they had been thinking the exact same thing.

"Koori," she whispered when she was only a foot from him.

His blue eyes seemed to pierce through her, unclogging all of her emotions so that she appeared to explode under the pressure. Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks as she threw herself down beside him.

"Koori," she said again, slightly louder, and with a waver in her voice, "Koori, I am so glad that we both made it out together."

As she looked down at her feet, she felt his warm muscled arm slip around her waist, pulling her into his lap. Valerie looked up, her brown-green eyes connected with his ice-blue ones and she felt herself melt, his strawberry bangs tickled her cheeks as they got closer.

It seemed almost by accident, therefore, that their lips happened to brush together, but neither resisted. Valerie closed her eyes and leaned into him, feeling his cracked and blistered lips more firmly upon her own.

The tears rolled down her nose and cheeks, making contact with his before falling to the ground, when he slowly pulled away.

"I am glad that we made it out together as well," Koori said, wrapping his other arm around her and pulling her closer, kissing her again.


	14. 14: One More Thing

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) I don't really have anything to say, but I was telling Dee about my ideas for the sequel, which caused her to force me to finish this series so that I could start it ASAP. Anyway, just in case you haven't caught on, this is my second-to-last chapter. ENJOY!! (btw... this chapter is really short, because 13 was really long... lol)_

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Fourteen:

Kiba rubbed his eyes and yawned as he walked out of the tent the next morning. Finally opening his eyes, he blushed at the sight of Valerie and Koori in each others arms and slowly backed into the tent again, not wanting to disturb them.

- - - - -

It took hardly any time at all for the group to get ready, once all of them were up. Kankuro and Temari took care of dousing the fire and clearing the area, making sure that nobody would be able to tell that someone had stayed there overnight. While Kiba, Hinata, and Naruto took down the tents and packed everything.

Kate, Dee, Valerie, and Koori sat under a tree; the latter were holding hands with their fingers laced together.

"What are we going to do when we get back?" Dee asked, turning to Kate.

"I suppose I will have to work to pay off my debt, and then we will be heading home."

Dee nodded, remembering all that had happened in the short time that they had been in the Naruto world, and wondering about the future. '_I wonder what will happen to Koori_,' she thought, glancing over at the oblivious couple.

"Let's go!" they heard Kiba yell. Dee looked up to see the group heading away.

Kate got up and offered a hand to help Dee. "Hell," Kate said, her teal eyes duller than usual, "I am almost excited to go home." Dee smirked and followed her friend, who was now running after Kiba.

Koori and Val lagged behind the rest.

- - - - -

They lumbered through the gates of Konoha about mid-day. All of them seemed especially eager to sit down and rest for a while.

"I could really go for a soda right about now," Kate mumbled, lying down on her back under the nearest tree. Dee shrugged and laid down next to her, watching the clouds.

Kankuro stared over at them, slightly sadly then, turning to Temari, he said, "We should probably start heading back to Suna now, it will be dark by the time we get there if we leave any later."

Temari nodded and walked over to Dee, "Thanks for coming to stay with us," she said, "and if you come back any time soon, with your, um, cell...thingy, you can come stay with us."

Dee grinned and stood up, hugging both siblings somewhat awkwardly, then sat down again, waving, as they left. "Bye!" she yelled; the siblings simply waved.

Kate sat up, "We should have probably gotten them healed before they left."

"They wouldn't have wanted it that way," Dee said, not looking at her, "you know how they hate to be in debt to anyone." Kate nodded and got up, heading in the direction of Tsunade's office.

- - - - -

"Wow," Kate said, stretching her newly-healed arm, "Thanks Tsunade!" The lady Hokage simply nodded and smiled. "I can't believe you let me off without paying for it though," Kate continued.

Tsunade laughed, "That doesn't mean that I am going to make your other debt any less." Kate groaned, and Dee chuckled in the background, "I suppose we should go find the _love-birds_," Dee said, distantly, and both of them walked out of the office.

- - - - -

A short while later, Valerie, Dee, Kate, and Koori were sitting in the middle of one of Konoha's many training grounds.

"So," Dee said, looking at Koori, "What are you going to do once the three of us leave?" The group was silent. Although the question was awkward, everyone had been thinking the same thing.

"Well," Valerie began, "You don't exactly have any family left _here_ do you?" Koori shook his head.

"You aren't suggesting..." Dee started to say.

"Koori is planning on coming back _with_ us?!" Kate finished, eyes opening wide. The couple blushed, then after a few seconds, Valerie nodded.

Kate shook her head, "I don't think that my theory will work if there are more people than phones."

"Perhaps I can work on modifying your theory, while you work to pay off the rest of your debt," Dee said, perking up.

"Okay," Kate nodded, looking at Valerie, "But if we can't find a way-" She didn't finish her sentence, "So I guess," Kate continued, changing the subject, "There is just one thing I have left to do."


	15. 15: Home Again

**Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I **_**did**_**, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.**

_(a/n) It's HERE. The final chapter!! Make sure to check out my "Letter to the Readers" after reading this._

**Rated T:**_ For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it._

Chapter Fifteen:

"Kate!" Dee yelled, interrupting Kate's work, causing her to look up, "I have figured out how to take more than one!"

"That was fast," Kate answered, sighing, "I suppose this means that I don't really have enough time to work for the money."

Dee stared at her, then suddenly, as if a bulb had just lit up inside her mind, a grin covered her face and she said with excitement, "I have an idea!"

- - - - -

About ten minutes later, both girls were standing in Tsunade's office, a pile of money on her desk. After counting it twice, and with a slight frown on her face, the Hokage looked up, saying simply, "This isn't enough."

Kate shifted her weight from one foot to the other a couple time and closed her eyes, "I was hoping that-" she began.

"Hoping that what?" Tsunade asked harshly, "Hoping that I would let you off?"

"No!" Dee interrupted.

"I was hoping," Kate started again, "That you would take _this_ as the remainder of the cost." As she said it, she held out her cell phone, the swirling blue vortex still lit up the screen, and Tsunade stared at it for a while before answering.

"Fine," she said, obviously defeated.

"Really?" Kate asked, grinning.

"Sure."

Kate and Dee turned to each other and high-fived before running out of the room. Doubling back, Kate said, "you might want to use some of that money to fix this door," she motioned to the broken hinges.

"Just go," Tsunade said, smirking.

- - - - -

Back at the training grounds, Valerie and Koori were lying next to each other, not saying anything.

"Val!" They heard Dee's voice, and the thundering of footsteps.

"Valerie!" This time is was Kate's voice, "Dee worked out a theory!"

"We can _ALL_ go back now," Dee finished, catching her breath and crouching down next to them. Valerie grinned and kissed Koori on the cheek, before hugging both of the girls by their necks.

- - - - -

They all stood at the gates to Konoha. Koori and Valerie were both clutching her phone, while Dee and Kate were firmly gripping Dee's. Kiba, Naruto, Tsunade, and Hinata stood not far from them, smiling, and waving as Dee explained the altered procedure to Valerie.

"Do you understand?" She asked, "Because we don't want something to go wrong like last time." Valerie smirked and nodded as both of them did exactly what Dee had planned.

Then, as if by magic, all four disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"That is one strange jutsu," Kiba muttered, turning on his heel and heading home.

- - - - -

With a loud and painful thump, Dee and Kate arrived back in Kate's basement. Looking at the clock, and at the videogame still flashing on the screen, they could both tell that it was as if they had never left.

"Jesus," Kate said, expelling a large amount of air as she sighed.

"That was totally fucked up," Dee answered, turning to look at her.

"Yeah," Kate agreed, "Let's **not** do that again."

- - - - -

In the meantime, Valerie landed back in her chair in her dorm room. She looked down at her phone, which had returned to normal.

"Hmmm," She said aloud. Then suddenly realizing, she looked up, and around the dorm room. "Koori?" she called, with a slight tremor in her voice.

She jumped up, looking under the each bed, in the closet, the bathroom, and the hallway. All of which, were undoubtedly to no avail.

"Damnit!" she yelled, throwing herself down on the ground and letting fat tears roll down her cheeks, "Why isn't he here?"

- - - - -

After much crying, she got up, crawling over to her text book, deciding that moping was doing her no good, considering she still had a big test coming up. Yet, after almost an hour of staring at the same page, she knew that in her current state, she would be unable to learn anything.

"Shit!" she yelled, flinging the book across the room, hitting the mirror hanging on the door and cracking it, "DAMN!"

The text was quickly followed by her bedding, dirty clothes, a tennis shoe, a teddy bear, and eventually, her cell phone.

Lying down, tears slid down her temples, getting lost in her hair.

It was then that she heard her room-mates key in the door. '_Shit, I can't let her see me like this_!' she thought frantically, getting up, grabbing her text book and running over to sit down at her desk again.

She heard the door creak open.

"Woah!" her roommate said, "Were you looking for something?"

"Oh, um, no" Valerie mumbled, not turning around.

"And what happened to your lamp?" she continued.

"You know what?" Val said, "I'm really not in the mood to talk right now."

She dried her cheeks, and looked around. The first thing she saw was ice-blue eyes, twinkling down at her, waist-length braided strawberry hair hooked over the figure's shoulder.

"By the way, this is my new boyfriend, Cory" she heard her roommate say, sounding as if she were miles away.

Valerie smiled, looking at him. Koori held out his hand, winking, "It's a pleasure to meet you."


	16. A Letter To The Readers

_**Letter to the Readers**_

_Dear Readers,_

_If you are reading this, chances are you read all of my AUTHORS NOTES at the top of each chapter. If not, here is my cliff-notes version. (if you HAVE been reading skip the bold)_

_-_**Dee and Valerie both have FanFiction accounts. Dee's is Diego12191 and Val's is Runya14.**

**-I have a myspace and the URL is on my FanFiction Profile**

**-If you reviewed me, I am extremely grateful**

**-I have been thinking about writing a sequel**

_Okay, now that THAT is over, I want to tell you that although I __have__ been thinking about a sequel, I don't know exactly what my plot line will be. I know that it will take place about a year after "Ditzy Dorky and Downright Delusional" but I am not sure exactly when it will take place in Naruto. If you have any ideas, feel free to message me on FanFiction, or myspace, and I will take your ideas into consideration._

_I also want to emphasize that Kate (me), Valerie, and Dee are all really how they are in the story._

_First of all, myself. Because of marching band and drumline, and swimming when I was younger, I have quite a lot of brute force. There is a running joke between some of my friends and myself that you don't want to get on the wrong side of me. I am also fairly hardworking and I learn relatively quickly. English is my best subject, followed by physics and math. In the story I was laid back, strong, hardworking, and friendly, so I feel as if I portrayed myself correctly._

_**favorite character: Kiba**_

_**least favorite character: Kabuto**_

_I think that I portrayed Valerie well too. Although she is not in college yet, she does want to go to Miami University in Ohio, and wants to major in Chemistry, which is her best subject. She has a low pain tolerance and is often stubborn when in a bad mood. She, like myself, and also Dee, is in marching band and drumline. Interestingly enough, she does not watch NARUTO, but reads the manga, and she hasn't even read all of THAT yet, so a lot of the time when me and Dee talk about it, she has no idea what's going on. (fun fact: She has attempted to write quite a few Naruto fanfictions in the past, and Dee had to make a list of different weapons for her... she didn't even know what Kunai was)_

_**favorite character: Sasuke**_

_**least favorite character: Naruto**_

_Last, but not least, Dee. It was mentioned in chapter 13 that she is a black belt in Aikido and a blue belt in Tai Kwon Do, which is all true. Plus, she has taken kudo and archery, so she can be really dangerous when you make her mad. Also, like in the story, she is very lazy. Her character was portrayed extremely accurately from both of our perspectives. Next year Dee will be going to a catholic high school, but she is jewish. This is depressing because now me and Valerie will be going to a different school than her. :'(. But we will make it work._

_**favorite character: Shikamaru**_

_**least favorite character: Kabuto**_

_Putting my message simply, thank you SOO much for taking the time, and having the patience, to read my story. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. And you should definitely check out Valerie and Dee's stories too._

_-Kate_


End file.
